building the american landscape - Univerza v Novi Gorici

Whereas, the agricultural and commercial interests of the state, require
that the inland navigation from the Hudson river to lake Ontario and
lake Erie, be improbe and completed on a scale commensurate to the
great advantages derived from the accomplishment of that important
object: And whereas, it is doubtful whether the resources of the
Western Inland Lock Navigation Company are adequate to such
improvements: Therefore resolved, that if the honourable the assembly
consent herein, that Gouverneur Morris, Stephen Van Rensselaer, De
Witt Clinton, Simeon De Witt, William North, Thomas Eddy and Peter B.
Porter, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners for exploring
the whole route, examining the present condition of the said navigation,
and considering what further improvements ought to be made therein;
and that they be authorized to direct and procure such surveys as to
them shall appear necessary and proper in relation to these objects ;
and that they report thereon to the legislature, at their next session,
presenting a full view of the subjects referred to them, with their
estimates and opinion thereon 177 .
At the beginning of 1812, once it was obvious that Congress had no intention of
financing the canal construction work, the proposal drawn up by the commission
chaired by Morris was finally approved by the state of New York, which authorised a
loan of 5 million dollars as state credit for the investors.
When construction had been completed, the work totalled approximately 7 million
dollars, which corresponded to the latest estimates drawn up.
Numerous advantages were guaranteed by internal canals at the time. The
waterways encouraged settlements in the areas they crossed. They created new
sources of internal trade, speeded up transport and therefore made numerous raw
materials, such as wood or agricultural products, available at lower prices [Figures
74‐75]. The works for the “DeWitt Ditch”, which quite a few people saw as a sign of
madness, began only in 1817 and ended in 1825. The project was divided into three
sections: the Western section between Lake Erie and the River Seneca, the central
section between the River Seneca and the town of Rome on the River Mohawk, and
the Eastern Section from Rome to Albany on the River Hudson. The first stretch was
assigned to the design and measurements of the engineer, William Peacock,
followed by James Geddes (1763‐1838). The second, longest stretch was supervised
177 Ibid., pp 52‐53
103